The National Assembly Committee on National Cohesion and Equal Opportunities has emphasized the importance of enhancing equity and inclusivity in public service recruitment to address ethnic divisions and foster peace across the nation.
Kaspul MP Were Ong’ondo said that employment in state parastatals and agencies should not be skewed towards any dominant ethnic group, urging that employing authorities should ensure balance and fairness to all the ethnic groups in the country.
Ong’ondo noted that the practice of favoring specific tribes for state appointments and jobs due to political influence or their alignment with the ruling regime has significantly threatened the country’s peace and stability.
He made the remarks during a public participation forum on the National Cohesion and Equal Opportunities Act of 2024 held in Kisumu County.
The new bill, Ong’ondo said, seeks to address nepotism and corruption in the hiring process, which has led to the appointment of unqualified individuals based on ethnicity, tribe, party, or family ties.
“As a committee of national cohesion, we have done institutional audits in different organizations ranging from business, employment and other factors that affect Kenyans,” he said.
The legislator added, “People would keep on fighting if 80% of job opportunities are shared among only two communities that are deemed to be in power. As a committee, we have collected records from over 300 stakeholders on how employment is done. We want to fix this country in terms of employment, resource allocation, and human rights because we don’t want to destroy our country.”
The National Cohesion and Equal Opportunities Act of 2024 intends to repeal and replace the National Cohesion and Integration Act 2008 to align its provision with Articles 10 and 27 of the constitution which seeks to promote national unity and non-discrimination.
“Kenya is a diverse country with 42 ethnic communities and the public service should be a representation of all these tribes. The Constitution has laid the foundation for this, with Article 10 obligating public institutions to promote inclusiveness, non-discrimination and protection of vulnerable and marginalized groups,” he stated.
By Robert Ojwang
